Christians Don't' Favor Forced Conversion: Nepal Church

Calling the recent report about Nepal criminalizing religious conversion as false news, a church body in the country has said that Christians don't favor forced conversion.

During a press meet on Nov. 8, C.B. Gahatraj, president of Federation of National Christian Nepal (FNCN) said the federation was opposed to the forced conversion by infringing the right to follow one's religion.

"However, nobody should hijack the citizen's right to freely choose one's faith," he added, according to Kathmandu Tribune.

He also said the recent rumor of passing of a particular bill that criminalizes conversion, which went viral on social media and various mainstream media was false.

The existing provision in the Civil Code, the Muluki Ain', defines conversion of religion as a punishable crime and they supported it, he said.

Gahatraj was referring to the recent news about banning religious conversion and the law that was targeted to the Christians. He said it was a false alarm.

The law, he said, only prohibits forced conversion.

A citizen can adopt a religion of one's choice, and any religion can carry out preaching activities.

The rumor was a wrong publicity against the Christian community, said FNCN general secretary Padmanath Parajuli.

There should not be any discrimination against the minority Christians in a multi-religious Nepal.